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Tuning the administration

Setting up of an administrative committee is no answer to the problem. Special courses will have to be arranged for senior administrators to enhance their capacity to assist the political masters in policy formulation and implementation efficiently and effectively.

A B.M.S.Zahur
AN academic study of public administration must be linked to that of government because the subject is linked to political environment. Policy decisions may be deeply affected by the administrative question of how effectively they can be carried out.
Often, public policy implementation takes place in a political context. "Implementation and enforcement are not clear-cut invariant processes; instead they are subject to various interpretations and degree of intensity (M. Pfiffner and R. Presthus, Public Administration, 5th ed. New York, 1967)."
A government agency is not simply a machine programmed to carry out instructions in a set fashion. It consists of human beings with their own values, attitudes, motives, aims and traditions. They like power, are more or less honest or scrupulous, develop policy aims of their own, or be governed in their administrative choices by varying cultural norms or conceptions of administrative style.
They may be conservatives or they may welcome change. They may like a neat and tidy organisation or prefer something looser or more flexible.
There are important scientific elements in administration, more or less efficient methods of carrying out policies. In policy making itself there are scientific elements, such as calculating more or less properly the costs andbenefitsofa particular policy.
But an administrative system is not just a technically rational machine. It is also a power structure with its policies, and a human community with its own subculture or subcultures.
Austin Ranney (Political Science and Public Policy), in defining policy, stated that the following components are its prerequisites:
• An object,
• A desired course of events,
• A selected line of action,
• Adeclarationofintent.and
• Implementation.
An important part of policy-making skill is the power to persuade. This is a political skill, in which senior administrators need to be good politicians.
Much of the policy formulation is done by the senior public administrators under ministerial and cabinet direction. It includes preparing plans and advice or policy, collecting and interpreting the data required for a new defense or social service or trade program, briefing a minister for a parliamentary debate or any international conference.
It may sometimes include preparing legislation or regulations. It may, however, be remembered that policy formulation and planning are not once-for-all jobs; policies and plans need regular review.
Bangladesh, like other developing countries, usually ignores the necessity for reviewing plans.
Management and executive work involves oversight of a department's staff and work. It includes both its internal management services and management and control of its executives and major programs.
Management is only one aspect of administration which is used as a more inclusive term. This does not correspond to business usages where management is commonly an inclusive term.
Administrative thought has thrown up a number of models, such as • The legal model,
• The military model.
• The business and economic model,
• The social and cultural model, and
• The organic model.
In the legal model, public administration appears as a structure of rules, rights and obligations, relating to systems in the outside world and regulating its procedures. Armies wqre thei early ifQTjnl5>fs large-scale administration.
Administrative terms like "unity of command," "staffwork," "strategy" and "planning" are derived from the militarymodel.
As the business model is constantly changing itself it does not appear to be appropriate for public administration.
As for the political model, public servants are seen as diplomats, manipulators, and warriors fending off outside invasions, forming coalitions, conducting internal power struggles, and representing interests.
Though senior public servants of Bangladesh fit in this model, public servants normally dislike it because they believe that it paints them as power hungry. However, political resources are a prerequisite of effective administrative action.
The social and cultural models recognise the non-rational and adoptive aspects of administrative behaviour. In a country like Bangladesh, such models are not appropriate because of low level of socio-cultural development. Some modem system theory derives from a biological model. Systems like living organisms interact with their environment and include control devices to preserve their own stability.
Needless to say, without efficient and effective administration good governance is notpossible. For good
.gpwmancei, wr^BUHihayuibd-) anced, skillful public administrators” to assist the political masters in formulating and implementing good policies.
Without a substantial improvement in administration simple election of competent and honest persons cannot assure good governance.
How this important point was not properly looked into by the CTG is not clear. Setting up of an administrative committee is no answer to the problem. Special courses will have to be arranged for senior administrators to enhance their capacity to assist the political masters in policy formulation and implementation efficiently and effectively. Their negotiating skills must improve.
This is particularly important for senior personnel of our diplomatic cadre. Increased capacity of senior administrators will ultimately smoothen the progress of setting up of true democratic rule in Bangladesh.
A8 M.S. Zahur is a former font secretary